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The Milwaukee Panthers (20-14) and Oakland Golden Grizzlies (22-11) meet in the Horizon League Championship Game Wednesday at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET (ESPN/ESPN+). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Milwaukee vs. Oakland odds, and make our expert college basketball picks, predictions and best bets.
Sixth-seeded Milwaukee has rattled off 3 straight wins against Detroit, Green Bay and Northern Kentucky, covering the past 2 outings, while the Over has hit in all 3 Horizon League tourney games. In fact, the Over has cashed in 6 of the past 7 for the Panthers since Feb. 23 in the regular season.
First-seeded Oakland held off Cleveland State 74-71, although the Vikings were able to grab the cover as a 4.5-point underdog. The Golden Grizzlies are still a solid 8-4 against the spread (ATS) in the past 12 outings since Jan. 27, also against Milwaukee.
The Golden Grizzlies won and covered the 2 regular-season meetings with the Panthers, while the Over cashed in both contests. Oakland has posted a solid 6-2-1 ATS mark in the past 9 in the series, and the Over has hit in 9 of the past 10 meetings.
Milwaukee is looking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the 1st time since 2014. The Panthers once made it to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005, and they’re 3-4 straight up (SU) in 7 games across 4 tournament appearances.
Oakland last appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2011. It won a First Four game in 2005, but it is 1-3 SU in 3 all-time trips to the Big Dance.
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Milwaukee vs. Oakland odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:48 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Milwaukee +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Oakland -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
- Against the spread: Milwaukee +4.5 (-110) | Oakland -4.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 153.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Milwaukee vs. Oakland picks and predictions
Prediction
Oakland 85, Milwaukee 81
Moneyline
Oakland (-225) will cost you more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s quite expensive in a championship game.
Milwaukee (+180) is a tempting play, since it has caught fire in this tourney, but the panthers have lost 6 of the past 9 meetings.
AVOID.
Against the spread
MILWAUKEE +4.5 (-110) is worth a look in the Horizon League title game, although Oakland -4.5 (-110) swept the regular-season series while covering both meetings. Oakland is 6-2-1 ATS in the past 9 in the series, too.
However, the Panthers have covered 3 of the past 4 outings, while they have the offense rolling. The Golden Grizzlies barely scraped by Cleveland State, and they could have trouble against a red-hot Panthers team playing with a lot of confidence.
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Over/Under
OVER 153.5 (-110) is the best play on the board in Indianapolis.
The total has gone high in all 3 Horizon League tourney games, while cashing in 6 of the past 7 outings for Milwaukee. The Over cashed in each of the 2 meetings against Oakland, too.
The Golden Grizzlies have hit the Over in 3 of the past 4 outings, while scoring 74 or more points in 4 in a row, and 10 of the past 12.
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